PMT
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
A Level Biology A H420/03
Unified biology
Sample Question Paper
• The total mark for this paper is 70.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended responses will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document consists of 16 pages.
, PMT
2
© OCR 2014
[601/4260/1] DC ( ) H420/03 Turn over
Answer all the questions.
1 A group of students set up a simple respirometer, as shown in Fig. 1.1, and used it to determine the rate of
respiration in germinating mung beans.
• They placed a small muslin bag of soda lime into the syringe and then added five germinating mung
beans, which were held in place with the syringe plunger.
• The students measured the movement of the red fluid in the capillary tube.
• After each set of readings the plunger was reset to return the fluid to its original position.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………...
[1] (b) Read the procedure carefully. Identify one variable that had not been controlled in this experiment
and suggest an improvement to control that variable.
Variable ………………………………………………………………………………………………
© OCR 2014 H420/03
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3
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
Improvement…………………………………………………………………………………....……
……………………………………………………………………………………………….…..……
[2]
(c) Describe how you would add the red fluid to the capillary tube at the start of the experiment.
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
[1]
(d) The data shows an anomalous result at 60 seconds.
Explain why the result is considered to be anomalous and describe one correct way of dealing with
this type of result.
……………………………………………………………………………………………….…………
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
[2]
(e) Using the data the student obtained, calculate the mean rate of respiration for germinating mung beans
between 90 and 150 seconds.
Answer…………………………………………. [1]
(f) What additional information would be needed to calculate:
(i) the volume of oxygen taken up by the seeds.
………………………………………………………………………………………….…. [1]
(ii) the oxygen uptake for this batch of seeds to be comparable with data
from another type of bean.
………………………………………………………………………………………….….
[1] (g)* The group of students wanted to find out if the rate of respiration of a small invertebrate animal was
comparable to that of the mung beans.
Adapt the procedure used to investigate the respiration rate of a small invertebrate, such as a woodlouse
or caterpillar, with that of mung beans.
Comment on the results you might expect from this experiment and the conclusions you might draw.
© OCR 2014 H420/03 Turn over
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
A Level Biology A H420/03
Unified biology
Sample Question Paper
• The total mark for this paper is 70.
• The marks for each question are shown in brackets [ ].
• Quality of extended responses will be assessed in questions marked with an asterisk (*).
• This document consists of 16 pages.
, PMT
2
© OCR 2014
[601/4260/1] DC ( ) H420/03 Turn over
Answer all the questions.
1 A group of students set up a simple respirometer, as shown in Fig. 1.1, and used it to determine the rate of
respiration in germinating mung beans.
• They placed a small muslin bag of soda lime into the syringe and then added five germinating mung
beans, which were held in place with the syringe plunger.
• The students measured the movement of the red fluid in the capillary tube.
• After each set of readings the plunger was reset to return the fluid to its original position.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………...
[1] (b) Read the procedure carefully. Identify one variable that had not been controlled in this experiment
and suggest an improvement to control that variable.
Variable ………………………………………………………………………………………………
© OCR 2014 H420/03
, PMT
3
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
Improvement…………………………………………………………………………………....……
……………………………………………………………………………………………….…..……
[2]
(c) Describe how you would add the red fluid to the capillary tube at the start of the experiment.
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
[1]
(d) The data shows an anomalous result at 60 seconds.
Explain why the result is considered to be anomalous and describe one correct way of dealing with
this type of result.
……………………………………………………………………………………………….…………
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
……………………………………………………………………………………………....…………
[2]
(e) Using the data the student obtained, calculate the mean rate of respiration for germinating mung beans
between 90 and 150 seconds.
Answer…………………………………………. [1]
(f) What additional information would be needed to calculate:
(i) the volume of oxygen taken up by the seeds.
………………………………………………………………………………………….…. [1]
(ii) the oxygen uptake for this batch of seeds to be comparable with data
from another type of bean.
………………………………………………………………………………………….….
[1] (g)* The group of students wanted to find out if the rate of respiration of a small invertebrate animal was
comparable to that of the mung beans.
Adapt the procedure used to investigate the respiration rate of a small invertebrate, such as a woodlouse
or caterpillar, with that of mung beans.
Comment on the results you might expect from this experiment and the conclusions you might draw.
© OCR 2014 H420/03 Turn over
